Ive done a couple of "digs" through these two DNS servers, and they appear to be handing back legit records for some domains. e.g.

and

But if you dig at retailers, you get some different results:

Versus my own resolver:

Traceroute to 50.56.52.52 goes to rackspace, while 176.32.98.166 which belongs to Amazon naturally goes to their network.

Telnet to 50.56.52.52 and ask it for www.amazon.com and it gives you a redirect:

Ask it again for www.amazon.com with the path as /?mcenabled=1 and you get amazons webpage:

Ask amazons own web server for www.amazon.com and it gives it straight up.

Im guessing they are running some kind of proxy server that is looking at what URLs you are browsing to on a retailers domains. Perhaps when you go through certain URLs to make purchases it is able to determine that you bought something, and associate some kind of credit with your account (based on you registering with them and letting them know your IP ranges.)

Pure speculation, but this has potential to be quite evil. MITM attacks with HTTPS capturing bank details??? With all of your DNS going through their servers, poisoning is not out of the question since you are relying on their security, what ever and how ever good it may be...

Also I dont like the way they are playing the whole "dont let others profit off your customers" line... What has a customers retail habits got to do with the operation of your network? This is what the net neutrality debate is all about right? Network operators snooping in on customer activity and looking to profit from it.

Also I dont like the way they are playing the whole "dont let others profit off your customers" line... What has a customers retail habits got to do with the operation of your network? This is what the net neutrality debate is all about right? Network operators snooping in on customer activity and looking to profit from it.

Well said!

It's my personal belief if you're going to leverage your customer's activity (e.g. viewing what they are doing) for profit, you have a responsibility to inform your customers of such. It might not be legally required, but it's the ethical thing to do.

I don't know of many consumers who would be comfortable with that type of business practice.

I totally agree. I would question the morality of using something like this as well as the legality. I would definitely consider it an intrusion into my customer's private affairs and not something I should be messing with as their "last mile" provider.